C-M softball program honors No. 1 fan with team softball sign

FORT DODGE — Colfax-Mingo assistant softball coach Tim Wilson is responsible for calling pitches for the Tigerhawks. The number he calls is listed on a sheet of paper inside a wrist band that is worn by senior Amy Russell and sophomore Colbee Cunningham in the circle.

Every number has a purpose.

But no other number is more important to the Tigerhawks than 999 Purple.

When Wilson calls 999 Purple, it tells the Colfax-Mingo players that this next pitch is for Brian Foss.

Foss is considered a Tigerhawk super fan. He and his father Bob sit behind homeplate at all Tigerhawk home games. They were in the stands this week when Colfax-Mingo played in its first state tournament in 16 years.

He has developed quite a personal relationship with several of the girls and coaches.

“We always try to get Brian involved in the softball games, part of the pitch calls and part of the team in any way we can,” Wilson said. “Any time I call 999 Purple, the girls know it means playing their hardest and best for him. It was just a way to let him know that we were thinking of him during the game.”

The pitch call, according to Foss, is the one that helps Colfax-Mingo finish off a win.

“It’s a pitch call that Tim Wilson and I came up with,” said Brian Foss, who said he attends about 50 percent of the away games during a season. “It’s supposed to be a call to end the game. It’s a pitch right down the middle that wins the game.”

Foss has cerebral palsy. He’s tough to understand vocally if you aren’t around him a lot. But he’s a wizard on the computer. He’s active on social media, too, often wishing several Tigerhawks good luck in their next game or congratulating them on their play in the latest game.

“He’s definitely our good luck charm,” Cunningham said. “He is at every single game, and he cheers everyone on. He has made personal connections with all of us. He tweets at us all. He’s such a cool dude.”

Cunningham was the ring leader in a project put together by a trio of Tigerhawks.

Members of the team each had a sign shaped like a softball made with their numbers on it to celebrate their state tournament appearance.

They had some leftover signage to use, and Cunningham decided to make one for Foss. The sign says “Brian Purple 999.”

Russell and her younger cousin Chelsea Russell spent an afternoon designing the signs. The elder Russell credited Cunningham with the idea.

“It was actually Colbee’s idea,” Amy Russell said. “He’s a big part of our team, He does all of our stats and is our No. 1 supporter. He comes to every game even though it’s tough for him.”

Chelsea Russell added, “He’s been our No. 1 supporter. We had some extra softballs that we cut out. It was either make one that said “Go Tigerhawks” or we make one for Brian. We all decided to make one for Brian. He’s just a big part of our team.”

Foss does do all the statistics fans can find on quikstatsiowa.com. Head coach Bryan Poulter keeps his team statistics on gamechanger.com, but he allows Foss to update quikstats after every game.

Foss came to the Colfax-Mingo area from Riceville. His father Bob is the president of a bank in town so they relocated.

“Bob approached me about Brian and asked me if there was anything he could to help the team,” Poulter said. “He told us that he was handicapped but that he was good with computers and has a great mind.

“Gamechanger doesn’t convert to quikstats. it would take me the manual time to do it anyway so I just let him do it. He’s good at it and lives for it. He bugs me about getting him the stats quicker sometimes. His devotion to helping the team is tremendous. The girls appreciate his fan support and want to support him. He has been a very welcomed member to our softball family.”

Foss took to Twitter and Facebook to thank whomever decided to make a sign for him.

“This is so awesome to be around this team. The way they have treated me is just so awesome,” Brian Foss said. “They are a bunch of high character young women, and I couldn’t be happier to work with them.”